Lifestyle
Alongside taking care of other people and the planet, make sure you take good care of yourself. The Lifestyle section at the Optimist Daily has solutions for everyday wellbeing on topics like food, beauty, fashion, and the latest trends. Curious about caring for houseplants, eating plant-based, or parenting tips? It’s all in there.
Why Bill Gates expects a huge wave of poverty reduction in Africa
While the pictures we see of Africa in the media or in donation campaigns show stark poverty and despair, these images don’t show the whole picture. In fact, when it comes to many important indicators such as literacy rates and childhood deaths, life in Africa has improved dramatically over the Read More...
The doughnut may hold the key to a sustainable economy
For economists, the biggest economic conundrum in the world right now is the following: how do we fast-track economic development while leaving a livable planet for future generations? According to Oxford University economist Kate Raworth, the answer may lie in the humble Read More...
An Ode to Laughter
By Kristy Jansen Have you ever been in a situation brimming with tense anxiety that evaporates the instant one person makes a joke or self-deprecating comment and everyone chuckles together? That’s the magic of laughter. It eases tension and relaxes us - physiologically, psychologically and Read More...
Could this medical kit help smokers quit their habit?
Even though about half of smokers try to quit every year, only about 3 to 5 percent succeed after six months. That’s why a company has created a no-smoking kit that includes medication, gum, and an app to help smokers stop the habit. Although the kit isn't necessarily cheap, it’s supposed to Read More...
Why the quest to eliminate extreme poverty requires a concentrated effort
Just 9 percent of the world is living on less than $1.90 a day, but we’re still far away from reducing that number to zero. While India and China have quickly reduced poverty over the last few decades, sub-Saharan Africa's rate of poverty is decreasing at a slower rate. This is a worrying Read More...
Community Microgrids for Disaster Resilience: A follow-up to “True Grid”
By Kristy Jansen California is suffering through a brutal fire season, Europe has faced a nasty heatwave all summer, and Japan recently experienced its worst typhoon in 25 years. 2017 was the costliest year for natural disasters in U.S. history with losses exceeding $1 billion, at a total Read More...
This is when you should be sending your kids to bed
Children ages 3 to 12 need to get somewhere between 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. Why? Not getting enough shut-eye time can lead to weight gain, as well as taking a toll on their physical, emotional, and social health. If you don’t know what time you should be sending your child to bed, Read More...
Multitasking: Can it be beneficial for you?
Although psychologists have been warning us about multitasking for decades, there are other studies that suggest multitasking may have benefits. But enjoying those benefits can only happen if you do multi-tasking the “right” way. There are two ways to multitask. This way is the only one that Read More...
The Future of Water
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Fighting climate change could generate $26 trillion for the world economy by 2030
A report from the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate finds that shifting from fossil fuels to cleaner energies such as solar power could prevent 700,000 premature deaths from air pollution in 2030. Beyond public health, fighting climate change could generate more than 65 million new Read More...